#U.S. State Department’s Cuba Restricted List

[zvaigzdelasas]

The announcement is aimed at making it easier for Americans to directly assist Cuban small business owners by providing guidelines for loans to them through the U.S. financial system, the source said.[...]

"We believe the private sector is Cuba's best hope for generating economic development and employment to improve the standards of living for the Cuban people and reduce the current high-levels of migration," a State Department official said. The official insisted that any U.S. steps to aid the Cuban people would be carried out "restricting to the furthest extent possible any benefit to the Cuban military."[...]

While in New York, Diaz-Canel is expected to press Havana's case for the U.S. to remove Cuba from a list of state sponsors of terrorism. The Biden administration has been reviewing the designation, imposed by then-President Donald Trump at the end of his term, since taking office. Privately incorporated enterprise re-emerged in Cuba just two years ago after being effectively banned for decades. But foreign financing has been largely blocked by Washington's Cold War-era economic embargo on the island. The new measures could help facilitate a flow of U.S. loans. Biden last year partially rolled back some Trump-era restrictions on Cuba but has maintained others, insisting Havana must improve its human rights record

Almost thought there weren't new levels of depravity to stoop to, silly me [19 Sep 23]

[mariacallous]

On November 23, the European Parliament adopted a resolution recognizing Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism. The document accuses Russia of destroying civilian infrastructure and committing serious violations of international and humanitarian law, which the legislators say amount to acts of terror and constitute war crimes. The deputies also called on the European Council to add the Wagner Group, the 141st Special Motorized Regiment (the “Kadyrovites”), and "other Russian-funded armed groups, militias and proxies" to the EU’s list of terrorists.

How significant are European Parliament resolutions?

Resolutions are documents the European Parliament uses to express its position on a given issue; they can address any topic. But resolutions are not binding for EU member states. Researchers call them a tool of “soft law”: though they’re not mandatory, they can have practical consequences.

In June, for example, the legislative body adopted a resolution on “Violations of media freedom and the safety of journalists in Georgia.” The document didn’t have direct legal consequences, but it allowed European deputies to show that Georgia had still not met the criteria for joining the EU, and it described the conditions the country would have to meet for that to change.

Will this change anything for Russia?

Because the term “state sponsor of terrorism” doesn’t exist in EU legislation, the decision itself will not have legal consequences for Russia. However, the deputies called on EU member states to develop a new legal framework for designating countries “state sponsors of terrorism” and “states that use means of terrorism.” This, they note, would “trigger a number of significant restrictive measures” and “have profound restrictive implications” for the EU’s relationship with Russia and other states included on the list, although the resolution doesn’t specify what these measures would entail.

The UK Parliament is also discussing declaring Russia a “terrorist state.” British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly recently told members of parliament that there were “grounds” for such a designation but that he did “not want to speculate in public about future designations.”

On October 13, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) also passed a resolution calling on its member states to declare Russia a “terrorist regime.” International law expert Gleb Bogush told The Insider that the measure was a “political gesture” that will have no legal consequences.

Additionally, the parliaments of Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, and the Czech Republic have all in various ways declared Russia to be a state supporter of terrorism, though in none of those countries did the measure carry significant legal weight. The Latvian Saeima’s statement, for example, called on EU countries to stop issuing tourist visas to Russian and Belarusian citizens and expressed solidarity with the Ukrainian people.

Will declaring Russia a 'state sponsor of terrorism' ever actually change anything?

Yes — if the U.S. does it.

If Russia were added to the U.S. government's list of state sponsors of terrorism, it would trigger the freezing of Russian assets, new sanctions, visa restrictions, and — most importantly — the removal of ​​foreign sovereign immunity. That means American courts would be able to consider legal claims against Russia (and use seized Russian assets to satisfy them). The U.S. currently considers Cuba, China, Iran, and Syria to be state sponsors of terrorism.

Several bills calling on the U.S. State Department to declare Russia a state terrorism sponsor have already been introduced in Congress, though none have passed. Experts have speculated that if Russia were added to the list, the U.S. would lose some flexibility with its sanctions policy, since Washington wouldn't be able to lift specific restrictions without removing Russia from the list. The measure could also lead to further escalation, as experts at the RAND Corporation have warned.

[cryptoonus]

Kraken Pays $362,000 To Settle U.S. Sanctions Violations

The cryptocurrency exchange Kraken has agreed to pay a $362,000 settlement fee to resolve claims that it violated sanctions against Iran, according to a statement released by the U.S. Treasury Department on November 28. The Office of Foreign Assets Control, or OFAC, of the United States Treasury Department, looked into Kraken, one of the biggest cryptocurrency exchanges, in July 2022. In the end, it turned out that Kraken supplied customers from Iran and other countries that were under sanctions. Five people "involved with the company or with knowledge of the investigation" were used in the investigation when it started in 2019, according to the New York Times. After an investigation, it was discovered that as of June 2022, Kraken had over 1,500 Iranian users. There were 149 users in Syria and 83 in Cuba who could also access the cryptocurrency exchange.Since 1979, sanctions have been imposed on Iran, and these prohibitions prohibit exporting products or services to establishments or individuals within the country. Syria and Cuba are also on the list of restricted nations. Business with or service to the countries mentioned above is prohibited and is subject to penalties. According to the OFAC, Kraken failed to block users from countries that have been placed under sanctions by failing to implement systems that can identify users' IP addresses and geolocations. The settlement is the most recent development in the Treasury's campaign against cryptocurrencies. Bittrex Inc. paid the Treasury about $30 million in October to resolve disputes involving sanctions and anti-money laundering laws. As a condition of the settlement, Kraken will contribute $100,000 to controls over sanctions compliance, including technology and training initiatives to help with sanctions screening. Around six months before the settlement, Kraken lost its top global compliance officer, Steven Christie, to competing cryptocurrency exchange Binance. Regulations bodies and Kraken have had a contentious relationship, and the US-based exchange received a $1.25 million fine for engaging in unauthorized trading last year. The penalty comes as other bitcoin businesses work to earn back user confidence after FTX's implosion. Read the full article

[newstfionline]

Friday, October 30, 2020

U.S. refugee admissions (Foreign Policy) The number of refugees allowed into the United States in the coming year will be at its lowest level in modern times, after the White House announced just 15,000 refugees would be allowed settle in the country next year. According to a White House memo, 5,000 of those places will go to refugees facing religious persecution, 4,000 are reserved for refugees from Iraq who helped the United States, and 1,000 for refugees from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras; 5,000 open slots remain, although refugees from Somalia, Syria, and Yemen are banned unless they can meet special humanitarian criteria. The future of U.S. refugee policy hangs on Tuesday’s vote: Former Vice President Joe Biden has promised to increase annual refugee admissions to 125,000, while the Guardian reports that a second Trump administration would seek to slash such admissions to zero.

Days From Election, Police Killing of Black Man Roils Philadelphia (NYT) There is a grim familiarity to it all. In the final days of a bitter election, it is a reprise of the terrible images that the country has come to know all too well this year: The shaky cellphone video, the abrupt death of a Black man at the hands of the police. The howls of grief at the scene. The protests that formed immediately. The looting of stores that lasted late into the night. It began on Monday, when two officers confronted Walter Wallace Jr., a 27-year-old with a history of mental health problems. A lawyer for the family said that he was experiencing a crisis that day and that the family told officers about it when they arrived at the scene. In an encounter captured in video that appeared on social media, Mr. Wallace is seen walking into the street in the direction of the officers, who back away and aim their guns at him. Someone yells repeatedly at Mr. Wallace to “put the knife down.” The officers then fire multiple rounds. After Mr. Wallace falls to the ground, his mother screams and rushes to his body. Mr. Wallace later died of his wounds at a nearby hospital, and the neighborhood exploded in rage. In the days since, dozens have been arrested, cars have been burned and 53 officers have been hurt. On Tuesday, Gov. Tom Wolf called in the National Guard. On Wednesday, the city declared a 9 p.m. curfew. And once again, the people in the neighborhood where it all took place were left to consider what had happened and what, if anything, could be done about it.

Zeta soaks Southeast after swamping Gulf Coast; 6 dead (AP) Millions of people were without power and at least six were dead Thursday after Hurricane Zeta slammed into Louisiana and made a beeline across the South, leaving shattered buildings, thousands of downed trees and fresh anguish over a record-setting hurricane season. From the bayous of the Gulf Coast to Atlanta and beyond, Southerners used to dealing with dangerous weather were left to pick up the pieces once again. In Atlanta and New Orleans, drivers dodged trees in roads and navigated intersections without traffic signals. As many as 2.6 million homes and businesses lost power across seven states, but the lights were coming back on slowly. The sun came out and temperatures cooled, but trees were still swaying as the storm’s remnants blew through. Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said the state sustained “catastrophic” damage on Grand Isle in Jefferson Parish, where Zeta punched three breaches in the levee. Edwards ordered the Louisiana National Guard to fly in soldiers to assist with search and rescue efforts and urged continued caution.

Violent criminal groups are eroding Mexico’s authority and claiming more territory (Washington Post) Organized crime here once meant a handful of cartels shipping narcotics up the highways to the United States. In a fundamental shift, the criminals of today are reaching ever deeper into the country, infiltrating communities, police forces and town halls. A dizzying range of armed groups—perhaps more than 200—have diversified into a broadening array of activities. They’re not only moving drugs but kidnapping Mexicans, trafficking migrants and shaking down businesses from lime growers to mining companies. It can be easy to miss how much the nation’s criminal threat has evolved. Mexico is the United States’ No. 1 trading partner, a country of humming factories and tranquil beach resorts. But despite 14 years of military operations—and $3 billion in U.S. anti-narcotics aid—criminal organizations are transforming the Mexican landscape: In a classified study produced in 2018 but not previously reported, CIA analysts concluded that drug-trafficking groups had gained effective control over about 20 percent of Mexico, according to several current and former U.S. officials. / Homicides in the last two years have surged to their highest levels in six decades; 2020 is on track to set another record. Mexico’s murder rate is more than four times that of the United States. / Hundreds of thousands of people have fled their homes to escape violence; the Mexican Congress is poised to pass the country’s first law to help the internally displaced. / More than 77,000 people have disappeared, authorities reported this year, a far larger total than previous governments acknowledged. It is the greatest such crisis in Latin America since the “dirty wars” of the 1970s and 1980s. / The State Department is urging Americans to avoid travel to half of Mexico’s states, tagging five of them as Level 4 for danger—the same as Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq. President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has created a 100,000-member national guard to reclaim areas with little state presence. It’s not clear that will make a significant difference. Years of Mexican and U.S. strategy—arresting drug kingpins, training Mexican police, overhauling the justice system—have failed to curb the violence.

Many Cubans hope US election will lead to renewed ties (AP) Not so long ago the tables at Woow!!! restaurant in Havana were filled with tourists ordering mojitos and plates of grilled octopus. But as President Donald Trump rolled back Obama-era measures opening Cuba relations, the restaurant grew increasingly empty. Now entrepreneurs like Orlando Alain Rodríguez are keeping a close eye on the upcoming U.S. presidential election in hope that a win by Democratic challenger Joe Biden might lead to a renewal of a relationship cut short. “The Trump era has been like a virus to tourism in Cuba,” said Rodríguez, the owner of Woow!!! and another restaurant feeling the pinch. Few countries in Latin America have seen as dramatic a change in U.S. relations during the Trump administration or have as much at stake in who wins the election. Former President Barack Obama restored diplomatic relations, loosened restrictions on travel and remittances and became the first U.S. chief of state to set foot in the island in 88 years. The result was a boom in tourism and business growth on the island. Trump has steadily reversed that opening, tapping into the frustrations of a wide segment of the Cuban American community that does not support opening relations while a communist government remains in power. He put into effect part of a previously suspended U.S. law that permits American citizens to sue companies that have benefited from private properties confiscated by the Cuban government, put a new cap on remittances, reduced commercial flights and banned cruises. The president has also forbidden Americans from buying cigars, rum or staying in government-run hotels. A Trump reelection would likely spell another four years of tightened U.S. sanctions while many expect a Biden administration to carry out at least some opening.

Winter gloom settles over Europe (Washington Post) The clocks were dialed back an hour across Europe this week, and the long nights come early now. The hospitals are filling up, as the cafes are shutting down. Governments are threatening to cancel Christmas gatherings. As new coronavirus infections surge again in Europe, breaking daily records, the mood is growing dark on the continent—and it’s not even November. The reprieve of summer feels a long time ago, and Europe is entering a serious funk. Germany and France announced national lockdowns Wednesday to try to get the virus under control. The new measures are less restrictive than in the spring, and yet they face more resistance. People are no longer so willing to remain confined to their homes, venturing onto balconies in the evenings to applaud health-care workers. Many people remain scared of covid-19, but they are exhausted and frustrated—and growing angry and rebellious. In a sign of the times, the head of the World Health Organization recognized the “pandemic fatigue that people are feeling” but urged “we must not give up.” The smugness in Europe about having bested the Americans under President Trump is fading with the daily record-breaking counts.

Young and Jobless in Europe: ‘It’s Been Desperate’ (NYT) Like millions of young people across Europe, Rebecca Lee, 25, has suddenly found herself shut out of the labor market as the economic toll of the pandemic intensifies. Her job as a personal assistant at a London architecture firm, where she had worked for two years, was eliminated in September, leaving her looking for work of any kind. Ms. Lee, who has a degree in illustration from the University of Westminster, sent out nearly 100 job applications. After scores of rejections, and even being wait-listed for a food delivery gig at Deliveroo, she finally landed a two-month contract at a family-aid charity that pays 10 pounds (about $13) an hour. “At the moment I will take anything I can get,” Ms. Lee said. “It’s been desperate.” The coronavirus pandemic is rapidly fueling a new youth unemployment crisis in Europe. Young people are being disproportionately hit, economically and socially, by lockdown restrictions, forcing many to make painful adjustments and leaving policymakers grasping for solutions. Years of job growth has eroded in a matter of months, leaving more than twice as many young people than other adults out of work. The jobless rate for people 25 and under jumped from 14.7 percent in January to 17.6 percent in August. Europe is not the only place where younger workers face a jobs crunch. Young Americans are especially vulnerable to the downturn. In China, young adults are struggling for jobs in the post-outbreak era. But in Europe, the pandemic’s economic impact puts an entire generation at risk, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

3 dead in church attack, plunging France into dual emergency (AP) A man armed with a knife attacked people inside a French church and killed three Thursday, prompting the government to raise its security alert status to the maximum level hours before a nationwide coronavirus lockdown. The attack in Mediterranean city of Nice was the third in two months in France that authorities have attributed to Muslim extremists, including the beheading of a teacher. It comes during a growing furor over caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad that were republished in recent months by the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo—renewing vociferous debate in France and the Muslim world over the depictions that Muslims consider offensive but are protected by French free speech laws. Other confrontations and attacks were reported Thursday in the southern French city of Avignon and in the Saudi city of Jiddah, but it was not immediately clear if they were linked to the attack in Nice.

Germany does not believe Thai king has breached state business ban: source (Reuters) Germany does not believe that Thailand’s king has so far breached its ban on conducting politics while staying there, a parliamentary source said on Wednesday, after lawmakers were briefed by the government. Following a meeting of the Bundestag’s foreign affairs committee, the source said the government had briefed lawmakers that it believes the king is permitted to make occasional decisions, as long as he does not continuously conduct business from German soil. When asked about the status of the king, the government told the committee he has a visa that allows him to stay in Germany for several years as a private person and also enjoys diplomatic immunity as a head of state. Thailand’s political crisis has made the king’s presence a challenge for Germany, but revoking the visa of a visiting head of state could cause a major diplomatic incident.

China’s New Confidence on Display (Foreign Policy) The Chinese leadership is currently meeting in Beijing to set economic and political goals for the next five years. In the run-up to the plenum, speeches by President Xi Jinping and others have demonstrated a bold confidence that this is China’s moment. As economic policymaker Liu He put it, “Bad things are turning into good ones.” Despite the damage to China’s global reputation this year, its leaders seem to believe that Western economic weakness and mishandling of the coronavirus have created opportunities. That may be true, but it may also encourage dangerous overconfidence, as happened in 2009, when the Chinese leadership was convinced the economic crisis had significantly weakened Washington. That overconfidence is most frightening when it comes to Taiwan, where recent saber-rattling has again raised the specter of an invasion. Distinguishing signal from noise on Taiwan is difficult, but the traditional restraints on Chinese military action—fear of U.S. intervention, reputational damage, and corruption inside the People’s Liberation Army—have weakened. The odds of Chinese action in Taiwan increase if the U.S. election doesn’t produce a clear result, or if a lame duck President Donald Trump embarks on a scorched-earth program on his way out—since Beijing may be convinced that a distracted Washington has no will to block it.

[32427minden]

A team of 85 Cuban doctors and nurses arrived in Peru on June 3 to help the Andean nation tackle the coronavirus pandemic. That same day, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced another tightening of the sanctions screws. This time he targeted seven Cuban entities, including Fincimex, one of the principal financial institutions handling remittances to the country. Also targeted was Marriott International, which was ordered to cease operations in Cuba, and other companies in the tourism sector, an industry that constitutes 10 percent of Cuba’s GDP and has been devastated globally by the pandemic. It seems that the more Cuba helps the world, the more it gets hammered by the Trump administration. While Cuba has endured a U.S. embargo for nearly 60 years, Trump has revved up the stakes with a “maximum pressure” strategy that includes more than 90 economic measures placed against the nation since January 2019. Josefina Vidal, Cuba’s ambassador to Canada, called the measures “unprecedented in their level of aggression and scope” and designed to “deprive the country of income for the development of the economy.” Since its inception, the embargo has cost Cuba well over $130 billion dollars, according to a 2018 estimate. In 2018-2019 alone, the economic impact was $4 billion, a figure that does not include the impact of a June 2019 Trump administration travel ban aimed at harming the tourist industry. While the embargo is supposed to have humanitarian exemptions, the health sector has not been spared. Cuba is known worldwide for its universal public healthcare system, but the embargo has led to shortages of medicines and medical supplies, particularly for patients with AIDS and cancer. Doctors at Cuba’s National Institute of Oncology have had to amputate the lower limbs of children with cancer because the American companies that have a monopoly on the technology can’t sell it to Cuba. In the midst of the pandemic, the U.S. blocked a donation of facemasks and COVID-19 diagnostic kits from Chinese billionaire Jack Ma. Not content to sabotage Cuba’s domestic health sector, the Trump administration has been attacking Cuba’s international medical assistance, from the teams fighting coronavirus today to those who have travelled all over the world since the 1960’s providing services to underserved communities in 164 countries. The U.S. goal is to cut the island’s income now that the provision of these services has surpassed tourism as Cuba’s number one source of revenue. Labeling these volunteer medical teams “victims of human trafficking” because part of their salaries goes to pay for Cuba’s healthcare system, the Trump administration convinced Ecuador, Bolivia and Brazil to end their cooperation agreements with Cuban doctors. Pompeo then applauded the leaders of these countries for refusing “to turn a blind eye” to Cuba’s alleged abuses. The triumphalism was short lived: a month after that quote, the Bolsonaro government in Brazil begged Cuba to resend its doctors amid the pandemic. U.S. allies all over the world, including in Qatar, Kuwait, South Africa, Italy, Honduras and Peru have gratefully accepted this Cuban aid. So great is the admiration for Cuban doctors that a global campaign has sprung up to award them the Nobel Peace Prize. The Trump administration is not just libelling doctors, but the whole country.  In May, the State Department named Cuba as one of five countries “not cooperating fully” in U.S. counterterrorism efforts. The main pretext was the nation’s hosting of members of Colombia’s National Liberation Army (ELN). Yet even the State Department’s own press release notes that ELN members are in Cuba as a result of “peace negotiation protocols.” Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez called the charges dishonest and “facilitated by the ungrateful attitude of the Colombian government” that broke off talks with the ELN in 2019. It should also be noted that Ecuador was the original host of the ELN-Colombia talks, but Cuba was asked to step in after the Moreno government abdicated its responsibilities in 2018. The classification of Cuba as “not cooperating” with counterterrorism could lead to Cuba being placed on the U.S. State Sponsors of Terrorism list, which carries tougher penalties. This idea was floated by a senior Trump administration official to Reuters last month. Cuba had been on this list from 1982 to 2015, despite that fact that, according to former State Department official Jason Blazakis, “it was legally determined that Cuba was not actively engaged in violence that could be defined as terrorism under any credible definition of the word.” Of course, the United States is in no position to claim that other countries do not cooperate in counterterrorism. For years, the U.S. harbored Luis Posada Carriles, mastermind of the bombing of a Cuban civilian airplane in 1976 that killed 73 people. More recently, the U.S. has yet to even comment on the April 30 attack on the Cuban Embassy in Washington D.C., when a man fired on the building with an automatic rifle. While there are certainly right-wing ideologues like Secretary Pompeo and Senator Rubio orchestrating Trump’s maximum pressure campaign, for Trump himself, Cuba is all about the U.S. elections. His hard line against the tiny island nation may have helped swing the Florida gubernatorial campaign during the midterm elections, yet it’s not clear that this will serve him well in a presidential year. According to conventional wisdom and polls, younger Cuban-Americans – who like most young people, don’t tend to vote in midterms – are increasingly skeptical of the U.S. embargo, and overall, Cuba isn’t the overriding issue for Cuban-Americans. Trump won the Cuban-American vote in 2016, but Hillary Clinton took between 41 and 47% percent of that electorate, significantly higher than any Democrat in decades. As an electoral strategy, these are signs that Trump’s aggression towards Cuba may not pay off. Of course, the strategy might not be just about votes but also about financing and ensuring that the Cuban-American political machinery is firmly behind Trump. The strategy has certainly not paid off when it comes to achieving the goal of regime change. The Trump administration is arguably farther from achieving regime change in Cuba now than the U.S. has ever been in over 60 years of intervention. During Trump’s tenure, Cuba calmly transitioned from the presidency of Raul Castro to that of Miguel Díaz-Canel. In 2019, Cuban voters overwhelmingly ratified a new constitution. These aren’t signs of a country on the brink of collapse. All Trump has achieved is making life more difficult for the island’s 11 million inhabitants, who, like people all over the world, have been battered by the economic impact from coronavirus. Tourism has collapsed. Income from remittances has tanked (both because of new U.S. restrictions and less income in the hands of the Cuban diaspora). Venezuela, once a major benefactor, is mired in its own crisis. But Cuba’s economy, which was forecast to contract by 3.7% before the pandemic hit, has been through worse, particularly during the 1991 to 2000 economic crisis known as the “special period” after the collapse of the Soviet Union. A change in the White House would bring some relief, although Joe Biden has staked a rather ambivalent position, saying he would restore relations as President Obama did, but adding that he was open to using sanctions as punishment for Cuba’s support to the Venezuelan government. It’s clear that from now until November, and perhaps for four more years, the Trump administration will pummel its island neighbor. Cuba will continue to seek global condemnation on the blockade (the 2019 UN vote was 187 against vs 3 in favor—the U.S., Brazil and Israel) and continue to show what a good neighbor looks like. It responded to these latest provocations in the way that only Cuba does: with more global solidarity, sending Covid-19 healing brigades to Guinea and Kuwait a day after the June 3 round of sanctions. A total of 26 countries now have Cuban medical personnel caring for their sick. That is the kind of goodwill that money just can’t buy and it greatly presents a stark contrast to the Trump administration’s shameful behavior during the pandemic. Back in March, as Cuban doctors arrived in Italy, former Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa tweeted: “One day we will tell our children that, after decades of movies and propaganda, at the moment of truth, when humanity needed help at a time when the great powers were in hiding, Cuban doctors began to arrive, without asking anything in return.” Medea Benjamin is an author/activist, and cofounder of the peace group CODEPINK. Leonardo Flores is a Latin American policy expert and a campaign coordinator with CODEPINK. For more on the Nobel Prize for Cuban Doctors campaign, see www.cubanobel.org.

https://countercurrents.org/2020/06/trump-hammers-cuba-while-cuba-cures-the-sick/

[fuckyeahmarxismleninism]

The U.S. State Department announced today the decision to allow, as of March 19 this year, the filing of lawsuits before U.S. courts under Title III of the Helms-Burton Act only against Cuban companies included on the List of Restricted Entities issued by that government in November of 2017, which was updated one year later.  This arbitrary and illegitimate list, intended to tighten the blockade and expand its extraterritorial effects, forbids U.S. citizens from engaging in direct financial transactions with the aforementioned entities.

Given the illegitimate character of the goals they pursue, which are contrary to international law, the Helms-Burton Act and the blockade arouse universal rejection, which has been reiterated for almost three decades within the most important regional and international fora.  The most recent example of this was the United Nations General Assembly meeting held on November 1, when this policy was rejected in 10 consecutive votes, thus leaving the U.S. completely isolated.

[ashleysouniqueblog]

A Guide on “How To” Habana

If you came across this blog post, you may already have found out that planning a trip to Cuba from America is not the easiest task. There is not much information online and the information that is online conflicts. This may be since some of the information is 4-5 years old and things there are in the development stages. I too had a hard time finding information and this is what made me determined to pass on real experiences and suggestions.

 My trip to Havana, Cuba was a full 3 days, from Thursday to Sunday. I planned this trip for myself along with 12 others. So here are some key takeaways:

1.       Flights: In order to a book a flight to Cuba from America you have to fall into one of the 12 OFAC Categories. All airlines require you to choose one before being allowed to book the flight. Make sure that you choose correctly as you will be asked again when it’s time to check in and when you land in Cuba. Also, Visas must be purchased at check in or at the gate they can range anywhere from $20 to $100 depending on the airline and departure city.

·       Visiting family

·       Humanitarian projects or to provide support to the Cuban people

·       Official business of the U.S. government, foreign governments and certain intergovernmental organizations

·       Journalistic activities

·       Professional research

·       Educational activities by persons at academic institutions

·       People to people travel

·       Religious activities

·       Public performance, clinics, workshops, athletic or other competitions and exhibitions

·       Authorization to provide travel services, carrier services and remittance forwarding services

·       Activities of private foundations, research or educational institutes

·       Exportation of certain Internet-based services

 2.       Housing: Booking an Airbnb instead of staying in a hotel falls under OFAC “Support for The Cuban People” also if you do choose to stay in a hotel make sure it is not on the U.S. Department of State Restricted List. Quality Airbnb’s tend to get booked quick so make sure you are giving yourself time to life the life you want to while in Cuba. Make sure you communicate with the house host as some houses have strict rules. For example, you may not be able to bring outside food or drinks into the home, no guests can come to the house, no parties, no loud music, men may not be able tot sleep in the same room, etc.

 Due to my group of people being over 10 people the options we had for Airbnb’s were off the back limited as we later found out that the city does not accommodate large groups very well. Furthermore, I found an Airbnb called “Blue Mansion Hostel My Way”. This home had none of the house rules as above and the host was more than accommodating while communicating with me before I booked. La Casa Blue Mansion Airbnb pictures does not do this house any justice. This house was beautiful and huge we had more than enough space!! Online it says that there were double beds in most rooms then 6 single beds split between 2 bedrooms. When we got there the single beds were Queen sized and the double beds were King sized. Everyone in my group had their own bed, and even some had their own room. Every bedroom had separate bathrooms and ample towels etc. There was 24/7 security, house cooks and waitstaff were on standby for whatever you may need, or request. This is a very clean family house and it has a very cultured feel. My group spent a lot of time in the many patio areas around the pool or in the bar club area that also had a pool table. We were very pleased.

 3.       Currency: Visa, Mastercard, American Express or any other debit/credit card is not accepted in Cuba so bring enough cash with you for your entire trip. US dollars is hit with an extra conversion penalty and lose value dramatically is you convert directly from USD to CUC. Therefore, we converted USD to EUR prior to our flights, then converted from EUR to CUC once we landed in Cuba.

 Cuba has 2 currencies: CUC and CUP. You should always get CUC as it is more widely accepted, and CUC has the higher value. For instance, CUC is 1 to 1 to USD/EUR/CAD (roughly), while CUP is 1 to 25 USD/EUR/CAD. CUC is what we seen prices in tourist areas listed, while businesses that displayed CUP were in neighborhoods. Of course, food was cheaper in neighborhoods.

 How much to bring? We were there for 3 days converted between $500-1,000 USD and once the trip was over we pretty much converted most of it back. It’s safe to bring more than what you’ll expect to spend just in case. Also, if you save your receipt from exchange centers in the airport, within 30 days they allow you to convert back without a fee at the same rate you purchased.

 4.       Airport Experience: When you first land in Cuba, you will be outside and will walk into the building. The customs agents and TSA are 90% women. Their uniforms are quite interesting as the military style miniskirts and black fishnet stockings fit very sexy. I was pleasantly surprised. Waiting on baggage claim was okay until my bag was literally the last one out on the belt and the moment I grabbed it, agents wanted me to step to a table on the side for an extra check. The bag that I checked was actually school supplies that I was planning to give to the kids at a school near our Airbnb. They were speaking Spanish and I only caught on to key words like “violation”. I was started to wonder why? There was nothing I brought that was against the law, just folders, composition notebooks, crayons, markers, and chalk. As they checked the pages on the notebooks they had all my friends who were waiting close the door come back to scan all of our bags through a metal detector. Shortly after, they let us go. Weird.

 5.       Airport Transportation: We booked airport transportation through our house because several of us took different flights and landed at different times. The house had someone waiting with a sign at every single one of our flights. Airport Taxis literally wait in the airport line all day to get someone who is going into the city, not from one terminal to the other. So, keep that in mind for your departure date because it will be hard to find a ride from one terminal to another.

 6.       Taxis: Taxis in the city are cheap. You’ll be fine but ask how much before you ride off with them so that you aren’t shocked by the rate. We allowed our house to organize taxis to and from the city and club. We were dropped off at different meeting points and gave him a time to pick us up. He was always on time.

 7.       WiFi: Most American cell phone plans do not work in Cuba. So as soon as you touch down you most likely will not be able to contact anyone. Hotels and Wifi parks sell WiFi cards $2 for an hour of online activity. Two guys in my group found a park and waited in a long line to get one.  The rest of us did not see any of the WiFi parks. Some people were able to make calls from there cell at $2.49 a minute, but they could not receive a call. We were there for 3 days so soon after we stopped worrying about being able to get on social media and focused on enjoying the time and people that were right in front of us. If you are anything like me, be prepared, plan ahead. Download Maps.Me and download the Havana, Cuba offline map. Also, take screen shots of restaurants, addresses, important information, flight information, etc. as it is very likely you will not have connectivity.

 8.       Giving back to the Cubano kids: I planned a school drive as a form of giving back to the Cuban kids. We all brought supplies we thought may be scarce or just needed to be replaced to give to them. With the help of our Airbnb host we were able to get the Principal of a local school (I will not name the school) to allow us into the school to give the kids supplies. They were happy children with big bright smiles in their uniforms. This warmed my heart.

9.       Restaurants: Most dishes we found in Cuba of course were seafood. But you were able to find chicken, salads, and pizza as well. I won’t detail all of them but 2 in particular. There is the O’Reilly 304 Gin Bar and Restaurant. We were all completely amazed by the bartender and all of his concoctions of drinks. We also met the manager Julio we completely accommodated us and had a million stories to tell of U.S. celebrities who has stopped by his spot. One thing I must say is that we were wondering what was taking so long with our food and soon after Julio and another guy comes in with fresh veggies and a string line of fish just caught out the ocean! Not to mention the food was seasoned very well! Make sure you try the salsa for the plantains, you will not be disappointed. Another day we went to Del Mar beach but met at Rachon Don Pepe, a beach hut restaurant. There drinks were $2.50 each! If you find yourself in the area stop by and get the lobster tail and boiled shrimp with hot sauce! There is also a pinacoloda spot next door that will completely give you beach vibes.

 10.   Beaches: The most popular beach that everyone says to go to is Veradero. This beach is 3 hours out of the city. Planning this trip, I did not want to have to commute 6 hours for anything, so I did some research on other beaches and found Del Mar. ‘Playa Estes Del Mar” was absolutely perfect!!! We all fell in love from the moment we walked up a sand hill and got to the top and saw the crystal-clear water and warm smooth sand. If I could I would go back just to have another day on that beach.

 11.   Cuban People: I’m not sure if I just didn’t know what to expect Cubans to look like but they look like us! The country is full of beautiful black and brown people! I absolutely loved the looks. Everyone we encountered either did not say anything to us or was very nice and talkative. I believe they are just as curious of us as we are with them. A lot of Cubans are artists, I was not expecting so much beautiful art! If you have the chance stop by the market and bring extra cash to buy some timeless pieces of art and paintings.

 12.   Night Life: Our first night in town we went to a place by the name of “Mio y Tuyo”, drinks and food was cheap, and they had a good DJ with the videos to the songs playing in the background. We found out later that is place is someone’s home. They made the first floor of their home into a club. Cool right? Our second night, we went to “Fabrica de Arte Cubano”. This place is about 7 clubs in one big building with patios. Each club played a different type of music but all of them made you want to stop and dance. All throughout the building was a display of art from local artists, which I absolutely loved. The bartenders make all the drinks hand crafted and none of the mixers come from machine. Everything was from fresh ingredients. The 3rd night we were going to go to “Fantasy” but we ended up throwing a party for ourselves in our Airbnb club (the house seriously has its own club).

 13.   Tours: Book the Vinales Cigar rolling and Horseback riding tour, it’s an all-day tour but is worth it, so plan to have 1 full day of your trip there. If you are short on time as we were, there is a Cigar Factory and Rum tour in the city that is roughly 3 hours, and they are only open on weekdays. If you book an Airbnb, allow the house host to book the tours for you as they have direct contacts to these businesses. But I do recommend not to pre-book the old American car tours. Online prices were average $45 per person, while walking up to them and negotiating they quoted 60 CUC per car (split between 3-4 people in each car) for a city tour and to drop us off at a Restaurant in Del Mar (30-40min out the city).

 14.   Time is not of the essence in Cuba as it is in America. They are not in a rush to do anything. If you set a time for your taxi to pick you up and you are not ready they will wait on you. You cannot pay to skip the line at the club (trust me we tried to offer $$$), you must wait in line. There is no quick bite to eat as all the food is made to order and the drinks are handcrafted with detail. So, find some patience.

  I hope my tips help you and yours enjoy your trip! Follow my group and our tags on IG: @AshleySoUnique @Wolf_of_Peachtree @DrCarlaMoore @Corrien3 @__Jayalessia @_miamor @_meaganh @Supreme.bliss @modernmillennia @teddy_atl @blkgrl_ashley @lala_kki @quinashai_chelette

[zvaigzdelasas]

Joe Biden campaigned in 2020 on the promise of new ideas, more competence, and a “return to normality.” But when it comes to economic sanctions, President Biden has chosen instead to maintain the path that his predecessor set. From Venezuela to Cuba to Iran, the Biden administration’s approach to sanctions has remained remarkably similar to Trump’s. On the campaign trail, candidate Biden promised to rejoin the Iran deal and to “promptly reverse the failed Trump policies that have inflicted harm on the Cuban people and done nothing to advance democracy and human rights.” Yet two and a half years after taking office, the Biden administration has made little progress towards fulfilling these promises. While economic sanctions may not seem important to the average American, they have strong implications for the global economy and America’s national interests. President Biden initially showed promise by requesting that the Treasury Department conduct a swift review of U.S. sanctions policies. However, the review’s publication in October 2021 was underwhelming. It produced recommendations such as adopting “a structured policy framework that links sanctions to a clear policy objective,” and “ensuring sanctions are easily understood, enforceable, and, where possible, reversible.” If the U.S. was not already undertaking these measures, it is fair to ask what exactly was taken into consideration when prior sanctions were implemented. The failure to reenter the Iran deal is the most egregious error of Biden’s sanctions policies. Apart from harming American credibility and acting as a strong deterrent to any future countries looking to enter diplomatic agreements with the U.S., Trump’s “maximum pressure” strategy has been a complete failure. As the United States Institute of Peace notes, Iran’s “breakout time” —the time required to enrich uranium for a nuclear bomb — stood at around 12 months in 2016. As of today, Iran’s breakout time stands at less than a week. It did not have to be this way. Although Iran violated segments of the JCPOA after American withdrawal, it never left the deal completely, signaling potential for a reconciliation. Yet the Biden administration declined to lift sanctions initially. As Javad Zarif, Iran’s foreign minister, told CNN in early 2021, “It was the United States that left the deal. It was the United States that violated the deal.”[...]

Biden has shown similar hesitancy on Cuba. Although the administration has taken certain steps to undo Trump’s hardline stance, there remains much room for progress. Six decades of maximum pressure on Cuba have failed completely, serving primarily to harm Cuban civilians and exacerbate tensions with allies who wish to do business with Cuba. The U.S. embargo of Cuba is incredibly unpopular worldwide. A U.N. General Assembly Resolution in support of ending the embargo received 185 votes in support, with only two against — the U.S. and Israel. Steps such as reopening the American embassy in Havana and removing restrictions on remittances are positive developments, yet the Biden administration could do much more. Primary among these are removing Cuba from the State Sponsors of Terrorism list and ending the embargo once and for all. This would not only improve daily life for Cuban civilians, but increase business opportunities for Cubans and Americans alike. Trump also attempted his maximum pressure strategy with Venezuela, but failed to achieve anything resembling progress. In one of his final actions in office, he levied even more sanctions on Venezuela, further isolating one of the region’s largest oil producers. Venezuela is another country where the Biden administration has taken mere half-measures. Easing some sanctions in late 2022 is a positive sign, but there is no serious justification for keeping any of the Trump-era sanctions in place. All of these actions have had major consequences, not only for the citizens of the sanctioned countries, but also for Americans. As oil prices spiked following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the fact that Iran and Venezuela, two of the world’s largest oil producers, were unable to sell on the U.S. market no doubt led to higher gas prices for American consumers. And the millions of Americans with family in sanctioned countries face serious difficulties in visiting and sending remittances to their family members. Despite these measures, none of these countries are considered serious threats to the U.S. In a March 2023 Quinnipiac poll, Americans rightly ignored Iran, Venezuela and Cuba when asked which country “poses the biggest threat to the United States.” Just two percent chose Iran as the biggest threat, with zero choosing Cuba or Venezuela.

These sanctions are unpopular, ineffective and quite often counterproductive to American interests. While changing the course of U.S. foreign policy can take quite some time, the dangers of hesitancy are quite clear. Rather than maintaining the Trump status quo on sanctions, which saw record increases, President Biden should fulfill his campaign promises and end the ineffective and costly sanctions on countries such as Iran, Cuba, and Venezuela, and return to the use of diplomacy to further American national interests.

You know things are bad when The Hill is coming after you as a democrat (note the lack of mention about sanctions on China or DPRK)

22 Jun 23

[minnesotafollower]

Another Two Week Suspension of Title III of the Helms Burton Act

Another Two Week Suspension of Title III of the Helms Burton Act

On April 3, the U.S. Department of State stated, “Today, Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo announced his decision to continue for two weeks, from April 18 through May 1, 2019, the current suspension with an exception of the right to bring an action under Title III of the 1996 Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity (LIBERTAD) Act. The current suspension expires April 17.” The statement also…

[newstfionline]

Thursday, December 31, 2020

Covid-19 ‘not necessarily the big one,’ WHO warns (Washington Post) The coronavirus pandemic might not be the “big one” that experts have long feared, World Health Organization emergencies chief Mike Ryan warned at the global health agency’s last virtual media briefing of the year. Since the first reports of the coronavirus began circulating nearly a year ago, the WHO has repeatedly warned that the world must prepare for even deadlier pandemics in the future. “This pandemic has been very severe,” he said Monday. “It has affected every corner of this planet. But this is not necessarily the big one.” The coronavirus, he said, should serve as a “wake-up call.” “These threats will continue,” he said. “One thing we need to take from this pandemic, with all of the tragedy and loss, is we need to get our act together.”

American youth too flabby to defend nation, retired generals say (Washington Times) A group of retired military leaders is warning the Pentagon that most of America’s youth is too out of shape to defend the nation. The organization, known as “Mission Readiness” wants the Pentagon to help set up an interagency committee to address what it considers the nation’s military recruiting crisis. They recently sent a letter to acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller, urging him to work with heads of other relevant federal departments and agencies to take a “holistic approach” to addressing issues ultimately impacting the ability of the military to recruit personnel. According to the Department of Defense, 71 percent of young Americans are unable to serve in uniform, largely due to obesity, drug abuse, a poor education or a crime record. “These factors largely fall outside of the Department of Defense’s purview but have an immense impact on the ability of the military to recruit new service members as well as a significant monetary impact on the Department,” of Defense, retired Air Force Gen. William M. Fraser and retired Coast Guard Adm. James M. Loy wrote in their letter.

Pandemic feeds demand for backyard chickens (AP) The coronavirus pandemic is coming home to roost in America’s backyards. Forced to hunker down at home, more people are setting up coops and raising their own chickens, which provide an earthy hobby, animal companionship and a steady supply of fresh eggs. Amateur chicken-keeping has been growing in popularity in recent years as people seek environmental sustainability in the food they eat. The pandemic is accelerating those trends, some breeders and poultry groups say, prompting more people to make the leap into poultry parenthood. Businesses that sell chicks, coops and other supplies say they have seen a surge in demand since the pandemic took hold in March and health officials ordered residents to stay home.

Another Arrest, and Jail Time, Due to a Bad Facial Recognition Match (NYT) In February 2019, Nijeer Parks was accused of shoplifting candy and trying to hit a police officer with a car at a Hampton Inn in Woodbridge, N.J. The police had identified him using facial recognition software, even though he was 30 miles away at the time of the incident. Mr. Parks spent 10 days in jail and paid around $5,000 to defend himself. In November 2019, the case was dismissed for lack of evidence. Mr. Parks, 33, is the third person known to be falsely arrested based on a bad facial recognition match. In all three cases, the people mistakenly identified by the technology have been Black men. Two other Black men—Robert Williams and Michael Oliver, who both live in the Detroit area—were also arrested for crimes they did not commit based on bad facial recognition matches. Nathan Freed Wessler, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union who believes that the police should stop using face recognition technology, said that “Multiple people have now come forward about being wrongfully arrested because of this flawed and privacy-invading surveillance technology.”

Pompeo Weighs Plan to Place Cuba on U.S. Terrorism Sponsor List (NYT) State Department officials have drawn up a proposal to designate Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism, a final-hour foreign policy move that would complicate plans by the incoming Biden administration to relax increased American pressure on Havana. With three weeks left until Inauguration Day, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo must decide whether to sign off on the plan, according to two U.S. officials, a move that would also serve as a thank-you to Cuban-Americans and other anti-communist Latinos in Florida who strongly supported President Trump and his fellow Republicans in the November election. It is unclear whether Mr. Pompeo has decided to move ahead with the designation. But Democrats and foreign policy experts believe that Mr. Trump and his senior officials are eager to find ways of constraining President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s initial months in office and to make it more difficult for Mr. Biden to reverse Trump-era policies abroad. In recent weeks, Trump officials have also sought to increase American pressure and sanctions on China and Iran. A finding that a country has “repeatedly provided support for acts of international terrorism,” in the State Department’s official description of a state sponsor of terrorism, automatically triggers U.S. sanctions against its government. If added to the list, Cuba would join just three other nations: Iran, North Korea and Syria.

British lawmakers approve post-Brexit trade deal with EU (AP) Britain’s House of Commons voted resoundingly on Wednesday to approve a trade deal with the European Union, paving the way for an orderly break with the bloc that will finally complete the U.K.’s long and divisive Brexit journey. With just a day to spare, lawmakers voted 521-73 in favor of the agreement sealed between the U.K. government and the EU last week. Brexit enthusiasts in Parliament praised it as a reclamation of independence from the bloc. Pro-Europeans lamented its failure to preserve seamless trade with Britain’s biggest economic partner. But the vast majority in the divided Commons agreed that it was better than the alternative of a chaotic rupture with the EU. The deal later received formal royal assent from Queen Elizabeth II. It has been 4 1/2 years since Britain voted 52% to 48% to leave the bloc it had joined in 1973. Brexit started on Jan. 31 of this year, but the real repercussions of that decision have yet to be felt, since the U.K.’s economic relationship with the EU remained unchanged during the 11-month transition period that ends Dec. 31.

As U.K. coronavirus cases hit record high, health-care workers are overwhelmed (Washington Post) Doctors and nurses across Britain are sounding the alarm as confirmed cases of covid-19 reach record highs, with experts urging the government to implement a stricter lockdown to prevent the health system from being overwhelmed. Simon Stevens, chief executive of the National Health Service (NHS) in England, told reporters on Tuesday that hospitals were “back in the eye of the storm” as new cases surged across Europe and Britain. He said more must be done to ease the burden on health-care workers. Some health-care workers are issuing their own public warnings, detailing how hospitals in London and the southeast of England are already setting up tents to increase their capacity. They say ambulances are waiting outside hospitals for hours because there is no space inside. Government figures suggest that the virus is surging in Britain, despite restrictions already in place in most of the country. On Tuesday, 53,135 confirmed cases were reported across Britain, marking the second record day in a row and a number far higher than any single day increase in the first wave.

Germany set for longer lockdown as death figures spike (AP) German officials made clear Wednesday that they won’t be able to relax lockdown restrictions in early January as the country recorded more than 1,000 deaths in one day for the first time. That figure was likely swollen by delayed reporting but underlined the severity of the situation. Germany, the European Union’s most populous country, shut restaurants, bars, sports and leisure facilities on Nov. 2. That partial shutdown halted a fast increase in new infections for a while but failed to bring them down, prompting authorities to impose a fuller lockdown from Dec. 16, shutting nonessential shops and schools. Those measures run through Jan. 10. Chancellor Angela Merkel and the governors of Germany’s 16 states will consult Tuesday on how to proceed.

Quake aftershocks keep people out of homes in Croatia (AP) A series of aftershocks jolted central Croatia Wednesday, a day after a 6.3-magnitude earthquake killed at least seven people, injured dozens and left several towns and villages in ruins. The strongest, 4.7-magnitude tremor was recorded early Wednesday near the heavily damaged town of Petrinja, some 40 kilometers (25 miles) southeast of the Croatian capital, Zagreb. Many people had spent the night in tents, their cars or military barracks. In the hard-hit village of Majske Poljane, where five people died in the earthquake, a little boy could be seen sleeping inside a van, wearing a cap on a chilly December morning.

Schools in India have been closed since March. The costs to children are mounting. (Washington Post) Out in the fields, the adults were chopping towering stalks of sugar cane, but Mamta Jaysinge did what she could. The 12-year-old gathered the woody stems where they fell and tied them into a bundle almost as tall as she was. Then she lifted it onto her head and carried it to a waiting truck. Any other year, Jaysinge would be studying in the modest school near her village in western India. It closed in March. Now she spends her days fetching water, cooking meals and hauling cane. Online learning is out of the question. “We were struggling to eat,” Jaysinge said, “so how would we manage to get a smartphone?” She misses school and hopes to return as soon as it reopens. Until then, she said, “I’m trying to help my parents in whatever way I can.” Jaysinge is one of tens of millions of Indian children who have not seen the inside of a classroom since March, a hiatus that educators say is without precedent in the country’s history. In major metropolises such as Mumbai and Delhi, schools remain shut for the ninth straight month. While some states have reopened high schools, the majority of India’s 320 million students remain at home as part of the effort to fight the coronavirus pandemic. Students from poor and marginalized communities face enormous hurdles to continuing their education even in normal times. Now many of their families are under severe financial stress as India’s economy contracts.

China clamps down in hidden hunt for coronavirus origins (AP) Deep in the lush mountain valleys of southern China lies the entrance to a mine shaft that once harbored bats with the closest known relative of the COVID-19 virus. The area is of intense scientific interest because it may hold clues to the origins of the coronavirus that has killed more than 1.7 million people worldwide. Yet for scientists and journalists, it has become a black hole of no information because of political sensitivity and secrecy. A bat research team visiting recently managed to take samples but had them confiscated, two people familiar with the matter said. Specialists in coronaviruses have been ordered not to speak to the press. And a team of Associated Press journalists was tailed by plainclothes police in multiple cars who blocked access to roads and sites in late November. More than a year since the first known person was infected with the coronavirus, an AP investigation shows the Chinese government is strictly controlling all research into its origins, clamping down on some while actively promoting theories that it could have come from outside China. The government is handing out hundreds of thousands of dollars in grants to scientists researching the virus’ origins in southern China and affiliated with the military, the AP has found. But it is monitoring their findings and mandating that the publication of any data or research must be approved by a new task force managed by China’s cabinet, under direct orders from President Xi Jinping, according to internal documents obtained by The AP. A rare leak from within the government, the dozens of pages of unpublished documents confirm what many have long suspected: The clampdown comes from the top.

US bomber mission over Persian Gulf aimed at cautioning Iran (AP) The United States flew strategic bombers over the Persian Gulf on Wednesday for the second time this month, a show of force meant to deter Iran from attacking American or allied targets in the Middle East. One senior U.S. military officer said the flight by two Air Force B-52 bombers was in response to signals that Iran may be planning attacks against U.S. allied targets in neighboring Iraq or elsewhere in the region in the coming days, even as President-elect Joe Biden prepares to take office.

Explosions rock Aden airport, killing at least 22, as new Yemen government arrives (Washington Post) Blasts rocked the airport in the Yemeni city of Aden on Wednesday, killing at least 22 people and injuring 58, shortly after members of a newly created unity government arrived. The death toll is expected to rise, as 36 victims remain in serious condition with wounds requiring major surgeries, said Ali Abdullah Saleh, director of Aden’s health office. He said the injured were taken to several hospitals in the southern coastal city. The assault, for which no group immediately claimed responsibility, threatens to ignite more turmoil in the Middle East nation already reeling from war and hunger. It was launched after the Yemeni government forged a political alliance with southern separatists, ending months of feuding that threatened to plunge the country into more conflicts and chaos.

[airlinesreserv]

what is air canada booking reference number

Manage Bookings For other transactions, you can find the complaint you extremity below to request missing prick from our financial, qualifier rental, in, narrate and other confederate. In many inclose, you can even request appoint when you didn’t show your Aeroplan card at advantage! Flight bookings Flight bookings Retrieve your booking to vary or cancel your mounting, look/print your traveling, petition an upgrade, increase your credentials info, hindrance in and much more. Retrieve your leger Flight Pass Sign in to your Flight Pass account to make shift to or abrogate one or more of your Flight Pass bookings. what is air canada booking reference number

Access Flight Pass account Vacation packet Travelling with Air Canada Vacations? You can recall your booking here to sight the details of your upcoming vacation bale. Air Canada Vacation reservations Hotels Did you book your in through us? To access your exception, cull one of the in providers below. External situation which may not meet receptibility rule of thumb. External situation which may not intercept accessibility guideline. Air Canada Stopover Did you set an Air Canada Stopover hotel? You can paroxysm your proviso here. Air Canada Stopover bookings Car rentals View, veer or erase your colloquial rental Bible. Rentals booked through WWTMS for Avis and Budget External place which may not meet accessibility guidelines. External site which may not ansver receptibility guidelines. There are incontrovertible restrictions and procedures for any single who is a U.S. ephebe, U.S. permanent fixed, or otherwise substance to U.S. jurisdiction who wishes to travel to and from Cuba. Retrieve Your Booking If your appropriation count open with the multitude 3, please fill in the information below to repair your account book. If your proviso numeral begins with the many 1 or 2, you can retrieve your Bible by logging into your account. If you booked by phone, you can only repair your ledger by contact one of our destroyer direction agents at 1 866-529-2079. Find booking Sign in to draft out Forgot your countersign? By token into your description, you contract to Air Canada Vacations Terms of Use and concede to its Privacy Policy. Sign in No computation? If this is your first list with us, create an account now to rescue your enlightenment. It will only take a record and you'll be effective to hindrance out even faster next delay you account book. Create account Check out as a guest instead There are true restrictions and procedures for any distinctive who is a U.S. burgher, U.S. abiding resident, or otherwise obedient to U.S. power who wishes to move to and from Cuba.All U.S. travellers current to Cuba must fill out a declaration at the airport acknowledging that they are holders of a labor license to Cuba, or that their labor to Cuba is narrated to one of the vocation activities:Family visitsOfficial employment of the U.S. regulation, foreign governments, and certain intergovernmental organizationsJournalistic activityProfessional researchEducational activitiesReligious activitiesSupport for the Cuban peopleHumanitarian projectsActivities of retirement foundations or research or educational institutesExportation, importation, or transmission of advice or information materialsCertain accredited export transactionsBefore booking a trip to Cuba, U.S. travellers should consult the U.S. Department of the Treasury website for more information on Cuba Sanctions.U.S. nationals (U.S. citizens or U.S. residents), even legally accredited travellers, are disallow from attractive in guide financial transactions with true Cuban hotels, garage, and revolution agencies owned or controlled by the Cuba troops or notice office as listed on the U.S State Department Cuba Restricted List. Consult the Cuba Restricted List for more information.Recent changes in U.S. sanctions on Cuba also forbid U.S. nationals from lodging, gainful for harbor, or making reservations at unhesitating properties in Cuba. Consult the Prohibited Accommodation List for more information.

[minnesotafollower]

Proposed Resolution of U.S.-Cuba Issues

Proposed Resolution of U.S.-Cuba Issues

The 60 years of U.S. hostility towards Cuba (with the two-year respite (2014-2016) under President Obama) have left many important unresolved issues.[1] Here is at least a partial list of those issues:

U.S. ending embargo (blockade) of Cuba?

U.S. response to Cuba’s claims for alleged damages from embargo & other acts?

U.S. closing its detention facility at Guantanamo Bay?

U.S. paying Cuba for use…

[creepingsharia]

Trump still taking in refugees in 2021, ceiling capped at 15,000 with many exemptions

Many read this as good news. They’ll say it’s only 15,000 people. They may say it was actually 9,000 plus 6,000 unused from the prior fiscal year. Also note this was signed a week before the elections, at a time Trump probably felt he was going to win the election comfortably and the Chinese coronavirus saga being used to usurp the U.S. Constituiton would fade away.

Now however, our Republic is in an existential crisis. Trump could have, and should have - years ago, ended the fraudulent refugee admissions program - created by Joe Biden.

At a minimum, the program should have been halted temporarily until the entire U.S. is void of any and all covid restrictions and employment of U.S. citizens is back to pre-plandemic levels.

Sympathy and goodwill aside, what national interest is there for admitting refugees to the U.S.? There are even exceptions listed below that will allow refugees from travel-banned terror hotspots and specifcally Iraq.

Oh, and if Trump doesn’t win, Biden has promised 125,000 refugees in 2021, increasing every year with no restrictions. In fact, 12,924 Somalis and 14,084 Syrians Already in Pipeline to Enter US If Biden Inaugurated.

From the federal register:

----------------------START-------------------------

Presidential Determination No. 2021-02 of October 27, 2020

Presidential Determination on Refugee Admissions for Fiscal Year 2021

Memorandum for the Secretary of State

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, in accordance with section 207 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (the “Act”) (8 U.S.C. 1157), after appropriate consultations with the Congress, and consistent with the Report on Proposed Refugee Admissions for Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 submitted to the Congress on September 30, 2020, I hereby determine and authorize as follows:

The admission of up to 15,000 refugees to the United States during FY 2021 is justified by humanitarian concerns or is otherwise in the national interest. This refugee admissions ceiling incorporates more than 6,000 unused places from the FY 2020 refugee admissions ceiling that might have been used if not for the COVID-19 pandemic.

Refugee admissions during FY 2021 shall be allocated among refugees of special humanitarian concern to the United States in accordance with the following allocations:

1. Refugees who:

have been persecuted or have a well-founded fear of persecution on account of religion;

or

are within a category of aliens established under subsections (b) and (c) of section 599D of Title V, Public Law 101-167, as amended (the Lautenberg and Specter Amendments) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,000

2. Refugees who are within a category of aliens listed in section 1243(a) of the Refugee Crisis in Iraq Act of 2007, Title XII, Div. A, Public Law 110-181, as amended . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,000

3. Refugees who are nationals or habitual residents of El Salvador, Guatemala, or Honduras . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,000

4. Other refugees in the following groups:

those referred to the United States Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) by a United States Embassy in any location;

those who will be admitted through a Form I-730 following-to-join petition or who gain access to the USRAP for family reunification through the P-3 process;

those currently located in Australia, Nauru, or Papua New Guinea who gain access to the USRAP pursuant to an arrangement between the United States and Australia;

those who are nationals or habitual residents of Hong Kong, Venezuela, or Cuba; and

those in the USRAP who were in “Ready for Departure” status as of September 30, 2019. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,000

Total refugee admissions ceiling: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15,000

Additionally, after consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, and the Attorney General, Start Printed Page 71220 and upon notification to the appropriate committees of the Congress, you are further authorized to transfer unused admissions from a particular allocation above to one or more other allocations, if there is a need for greater admissions for the allocation to which the admissions will be transferred.

Additionally, I specify that persons from certain high-risk areas of terrorist presence or control, including Somalia, Syria, and Yemen, shall not be admitted as refugees, except those refugees of special humanitarian concern: (1) who have been persecuted or have a well-founded fear of persecution on account of religion; (2) were referred to the USRAP by a United States Embassy in any location; or (3) who will be admitted through a Form I-730 following-to-join petition or who gain access to the USRAP for family reunification through the P-3 process. The threat to United States national security and public safety posed by the admission of refugees from high-risk areas of terrorist presence or control is significant and cannot be fully mitigated at this time.

Consistent with section 101(a)(42) of the Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(42)), and after appropriate consultation with the Congress, I also specify that, for FY 2021, the following persons may, if otherwise qualified, be considered refugees for the purpose of admission to the United States within their countries of nationality or habitual residence:

a. persons in Cuba;

b. persons in Eurasia and the Baltics;

c. persons in Iraq;

d. persons in Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador; and

e. in exceptional circumstances, persons identified by a United States Embassy in any location.

Consistent with section 412(a)(2) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1522(a)(2)), I also specify that, for FY 2021, newly admitted refugees should be placed, to the maximum extent possible, in States and localities that have clearly expressed their willingness to receive refugees under the Department of State's Reception and Placement Program. Such cooperation ensures that refugees are resettled in communities that are eager and equipped to support their successful integration into American society and the labor force.

Consistent with section 2(b)(2) of the Migration and Refugee Assistance Act of 1962 (22 U.S.C. 2601(b)), I hereby determine that assistance to or on behalf of persons applying for admission to the United States as part of the overseas refugee admissions program will contribute to the foreign policy interests of the United States, and I accordingly designate such persons for this purpose.

Start Printed Page 71221

You are authorized and directed to publish this determination in the Federal Register.

  THE WHITE HOUSE, Washington, October 27, 2020 Filed 11-5-20; 11:15 am]

[FR Doc. 2020-24912

Billing code 4710-10-P

Published Document

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[faithfulnews]

Sanctioned Cruelty

Sanctioned Cruelty

By Raúl Rodríguez Rodríguez

April 27, 2020

For six decades, American foreign policy toward Cuba has consisted largely (though not solely) of unilateral coercive economic measures. Sanctions, in other words, beginning with the Eisenhower administration’s cut on sugar imports to the United States in July 1960 and proceeding on up through the Trump administration, which has taken economic sanctions to unprecedented levels. Although the rationales have varied somewhat over time, the consistent objective has been to deploy U.S. economic power to undermine Cuba’s socioeconomic and political systems and bring about regime change. The State Department’s notorious Mallory Memorandum of April 1960 made it explicit: “The only foreseeable means of alienating internal support is through disenchantment and disaffection based on economic dissatisfaction and hardship.… If the above are accepted or cannot be successfully countered, it follows that every possible means should be undertaken promptly to weaken the economic life of Cuba.”

What is commonly known as the U.S. embargo against Cuba subsequently commenced, in October 1960, when the Eisenhower administration invoked the Trading with the Enemy Act of 1917 to ban all exports to Cuba except medical supplies and food. In 1962, President Kennedy further tightened the screws by prohibiting the import “of all goods of Cuban origin and goods imported from or through Cuba.” In the decades that followed, the United States expanded and reinforced the regime of sanctions against Cuba, by 2007 transforming it into the most comprehensive embargo on any state, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office. Today, every major method available to a sanctioning state is currently employed: trade control, suspension of aid and technical assistance, the freezing of financial assets, and the blacklisting of foreign companies involved in trade with Cuba. (Then there are the suggested covert actions; as early as 1963, U.S. officials sought to sabotage key sectors of the Cuban economy.)

What has been the impact of this decades-long approach? Back in 2000, a report commissioned by the UN Human Rights Commission noted that “health and nutrition have been two of the primary victims of the sanctions.” It quoted the highly critical report from the American Association for World Health confirming that the embargo led to “malnutrition, poor water quality, and the denial of access to medical equipment and drugs” and amounted to “the deliberate blockading of the Cuban population’s access to food and medicine.” Amnesty International has also documented the effects of the sanctions on economic and social rights, and has repeatedly called for the lifting of the embargo. And though the Obama administration eased certain restrictions following the accords of December 2014, those measures were limited, primarily relating to travel and cultural exchanges. None of the regulatory changes made through executive action affected the core provisions of the embargo established by federal legislation.

Enter Donald Trump, who has not only reversed the modest changes made by the Obama administration, but has also taken the sanctions program to new extremes. The measures imposed by the Trump administration are plainly geared toward bankrupting the Cuban state. They target the country’s areas of economic strength, such as tourism and the export of professional services, and exploit its vulnerabilities, such as its energy dependence and its reliance on direct foreign investment. By undermining Cuba’s economic performance, U.S. sanctions have further degraded the living standards of the Cuban people, who rely on the state for access to health care and education, along with subsidized housing, food, transportation, and utilities. Their plight is worsened by a new cap on family remittances, which limits the amount of money Cubans can receive from family in the United States.

  Coercive economic measures imposed in September 2019 are perhaps the most crippling—and cruel—to date.

We could have seen it coming. On November 29, 2016, President-elect Trump took to Twitter to threaten a rollback of the normalization efforts made by the Obama administration. Then, in June 2017, he appeared at the Manuel Artime Theatre in Miami, where, surrounded by the most conservative elements of the Cuban-American community in South Florida, he signed the National Security Presidential Memorandum on Strengthening the Policy of the United States toward Cuba. This was the first formal executive action aimed at reversing Obama-era measures. The core of the memorandum identifies sanctions as the tool of choice for dealing with Cuba, by limiting economic interaction with the country, enforcing the travel ban, and formally affirming opposition to calls from international forums to lift the embargo.

Five months later, in November 2017, the U.S. State Department published a list of 180 entities and establishments that U.S. persons could no longer frequent on the contention that they help finance the Cuban military and its intelligence and security services. These included hotels, stores, rum-manufacturing facilities, marinas, and an economic-development zone at the Port of Mariel. That list has since been updated several times and currently numbers 223 entities, including ministries and holding companies. The Treasury Department issued its own set of restrictions on travel to Cuba for educational or cultural exchange groups of U.S. citizens. The latest change related to travel was the elimination of “people-to-people” educational trips altogether, so that outreach and educational visits that don’t lead to an academic degree are no longer permitted, unless with groups organized under the auspices of a licensed travel provider based in the United States. There are still legal ways for U.S. citizens to go to Cuba, but travel is far more severely restricted than it was before Trump came to office.

There was more to come. On March 4, 2019, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced that twenty-three years after the passage of the 1996 Helms–Burton Act—which had codified mechanisms for enforcing sanctions and the embargo—the U.S. would activate a clause in the act known as Title III. This allows plaintiffs—both U.S. persons and Cuban-born U.S. citizens—to sue foreign companies that do business on properties nationalized following the 1959 revolution. That April, in Miami, then–National Security Advisor John Bolton announced two more restrictions, each of which targets a critical sector of the economy: visits by U.S. cruise ships and remittances.

Then, in June 2019, the Trump administration further clamped down on travel to Cuba by banning group trips via cruise ships, yachts, and corporate planes. More than 638,000 non-Cuban U.S. persons had visited Cuba in 2018, but that number has since dropped significantly. Analysts agree that Cuban small-business owners, who were enjoying an increase in commerce from U.S. visitors, have been especially hurt. A huge impact will fall on the Cuban private sector, because U.S. travelers, as per U.S. Treasury Department regulations, were more likely to stay at privately owned bed-and-breakfasts and hire private drivers and tour guides. At the end of 2019, it also became far more difficult for Cubans living in the United States to travel home for family visits: the State Department directed the Transportation Department to suspend all commercial flights to Cuban cities other than Havana, effective December 10. This suspension was extended to charter flights effective January 10, 2020.

Travel restrictions have also exerted a humanitarian toll. After a January 2019 tornado in Cuba that killed six people, injured many others, and damaged or destroyed dwellings, Cubans living in Japan mounted a relief effort, raising money and collecting clothing and shoes for donation. The Japanese NGO Peace Boat loaded those items onto the vessel Ocean Dream, which is owned by the Miami-based maritime company Seahawk Corp. But under the new travel restrictions, the aid could not be delivered, and the Ocean Dream, loaded with donations, was forced to return to Japan.

Coercive economic measures imposed in September 2019 are perhaps the most crippling—and cruel—to date. Under the Obama administration, people living in the United States could send unlimited remittances to family members in Cuba. Now that amount has been reduced to a maximum of $1,000 per quarter. Under the Obama administration, Cubans in the United States could also send money to Cubans who weren’t family members, and to charitable organizations; now, neither of these is permissible. This will have an enormous human cost. Approximately 1 million of the more than 2 million Cubans who live abroad, most of them in the United States, send remittances to their families.

Also under Trump, the Treasury Department has further limited Cuba’s access to the U.S. financial system by eliminating authorization for what are commonly known as “U-turn” transactions. These are fund transfers that originate and terminate outside the United States, where neither the originator nor beneficiary is a person subject to U.S. jurisdiction. This will have considerable impact on how Cuban entities, whether private individuals or state owned, conduct their business with trading partners in Canada, Europe, Asia, and Latin America.

It was during 2019 as well that the Trump administration moved to disrupt oil shipments to and from Cuba, while imposing penalties on companies in third-party countries that have commercial relations with it. Such was the case of Italy-based PB Tankers SPA. The Treasury Department specifically cited six of the company’s tankers as having transported oil from Venezuela, including one tanker that delivered oil products from Venezuela to Cuba. (A particular aspect of this action stands out: the attempt to disrupt Cuba’s oil supply coupled with the interest in damaging Cuba’s main ally in the region, Venezuela.) Subsequently, PB Tankers discontinued shipments to Cuba. Soon after that, the Treasury Department lifted sanctions on the company’s fleet, “praising the Italian firm for halting deliveries of Venezuelan oil to the island nation,” in the words of an AP news report.

The action taken against PB Tankers goes well beyond the restriction of trade by U.S. persons; it also goes beyond punishing Cuba’s military and intelligence services, the declared targets of sanctions. Pressuring foreign shipping companies to restrict the import of oil significantly reduces the fuel available for transportation, electricity, and other vital services. But there’s an even more telling example of how the extraterritorial scope of U.S. sanctions is in fact meant to impose hardship on the people of Cuba, a goal first articulated in the State Department’s 1960 Mallory Memorandum. Today, in the midst of a pandemic, as companies and organizations outside the U.S. seek to deliver coronavirus-aid shipments to the island—including ventilators, masks, and testing kits—the U.S. embargo prevents them from doing so. 

Go to the article

[hudsonespie]

Solving Sanctions Compliance and Due Diligence in Maritime Trade

After a rocky 2020, the global trade landscape is hardly shaping up to be a smooth one in 2021.

In 2020, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) in the U.S. published its maritime compliance advisory in May and the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) in the UK followed suit in June with its own maritime advisory. Both advisories require all companies in the maritime ecosystem to screen for vessel behaviors, and not just the vessel itself. However, it is now increasingly clear that basic blacklist screening methods for customer due diligence no longer suffice.

Due to these advisories and other regulations in 2020, we saw 58 vessels and 35 shipping-related companies blacklisted. But maritime stakeholders shouldn’t only be focusing on who is being sanctioned, but also why and where. While each of these acts of sanction may have been appropriate on their own terms, viewed in the aggregate, the crackdown is raising serious questions in relation to the ability to trade with confidence. Given this dynamic, a new way of approaching compliance, anti-money laundering (AML), and financial crime is required.

In a recent conversation with David Peyman, a former State Department official who created the department’s first economic sanctions targeting team, he drove home just how profoundly the sanctions landscape has shifted. From a regulatory perspective, Peyman told me, the maritime sector today is where the banking sector was before the introduction of AML and anti-secrecy laws, implying we can anticipate regulatory changes that will force actors to increase their compliance controls and due diligence procedures. The good news is that there are tools – including those based on AI – that allow these actors to not fall behind the ball.  

With a new U.S. administration, now is the time to take a step back to understand what we are seeing regarding sanctions and AML, and to chart the appropriate approach for 2021.

No longer black and white

According to Rick McDonell, Executive Director of the Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists (ACAMS), “The digitization of financial services has greatly improved access and convenience for everyone, but it’s also opened the doors for more opportunity, diversity and complexity in terms of financial crime. For financial institutions and regulators, ensuring that compliance departments and officers are properly trained to detect financial crime, and empowered actually to do something about it, is paramount.” 

Recently, we’ve seen one of the largest AML cases ever in Hong Kong, which joins an IMF investigation in the Nordics and Baltics.

But with the new U.S. administration signaling their intention to reopen diplomatic negotiations with Iran, the outlook for sanctions is a complicated one. The days of black and white are over, and we are all left navigating a constant mix of shades of grey. It won’t be only about whether you can or can’t trade with a certain country. There will be a growing number of restrictions and provisions that will take compliance professionals an increasing amount of time to navigate as they seek to ensure their companies stay out of harm’s way.

The shipping industry’s unique challenges

On the shipping and trading side, the new compliance requirements enacted by the U.S. (OFAC) and the UK (OFSI) make it increasingly difficult for the average compliance professional.

Not only do AML, financial crime, and compliance professionals at banks and energy companies need to navigate ever-changing regulations and multiple relevant databases, now they also need to become experts in the complex maritime industry. Underscoring the scope of the challenge, recent reports indicate that there are multiple cases of vessels registered in different Pacific islands as a means to circumvent sanctions – a phenomenon that used to only exist in the law enforcement space, rather than being relevant for standard compliance and shipping professionals. 

In January 2021 alone we witnessed a surge of maritime related sanctions:

For the first time ever, after many warnings, we’ve seen a vessel and a company blacklisted by the U.S. over their involvement in the Russian-backed Nord Stream 2 pipeline project. The vessel Fortuna – a pipelaying vessel – could be just the first warning, with many insurers and banks refusing to do business with entities involved in this project. The blacklisting comes as the US-Russia relationship faces new turbulence in the wake of the Solarwinds hack, and the heightening of geopolitical tensions all but guarantees that the Nord Stream issue is unlikely to be resolved anytime soon. According to Windward data, the recently sanctioned Fortuna pipelaying service vessel has used three ports in Germany as a base of operations for the German Landfall of the Nord Stream 2 project. When cross-referencing this with the Russian port supporting this operation we see 16 other vessels operating in both ends of the project in the past six months. In addition, 11 unique vessels have been supporting the Fortuna directly in the past six months and conducting multiple STS operations, only four of which are Russian flagged. Based on the feedback of both insurers and financial institutions regarding the due diligence process, these vessels and their respective companies could find themselves exposed.

The U.S. Treasury targeted six vessels and three companies trading with Venezuelan oil, including Swissoil (based in Geneva) and Elemento (based in Malta). If we focus on Fides Ship Management LLC, all four of its now sanctioned vessels have changed flags to Cameroon in 2020. Two of the tankers performed what is defined by OFAC as “Flag Hopping” – repeatedly registering with new flag states. The flags of choice are not surprising as the registry process is fairly easy with the registries not being fully aware of what is being done under their flag.

Cuba has been placed on the U.S. blacklist recently, in a step that should not change much since it has long been a complicated country to conduct business with. Based on Windward’s insights, there are still approximately 330 vessels with a high risk of designation for Cuba-related activities. But even for entities that have previously been trading in Cuba there is a 30% decrease in port calls in Cuba during Q4 2020, probably due to the blacklisting by the Trump Administration.

The U.S. Commerce Department has put China’s CNOOC on its “entity list,” meaning that U.S. groups will be unable to export products or technology to the company in the absence of a hard-to-obtain license. Although the Entity List (EL) deals with export control and is very different from the Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list, it still requires a special permit which is unlikely to be provided, with the new trend in U.S. banks' AML and financial crime due diligence processes to query questions to or from EL entities. This complexity is even greater since the company's tankers perform numerous STS operations with a global fleet including nearly 50 vessels owned and managed outside China. Although the exposure is different than with SDN list entities, vessels and companies interacting with the CNOOC fleet in Southern China could find themselves exposed.

Time for a different approach         

With so many evolving risks, and so many people talking about the fact that data is the new oil, it’s time to consider a different approach – one that harnesses the power of data to drive better business decisions.

At a time when even screening of the standard shipping company’s “Seven Levels of Ownership” has become a complicated task, AI platforms can provide a bottom-line recommendation with clear explanations and an audit trail. We should empower compliance, AML, and financial crime professionals to embrace specialized AI systems that leverage domain expertise, providing them with bottom-line recommendations. These recommendations – on the vessel, company, and cargo levels – can be fully integrated into existing IT systems and allow for Customer Due Diligence (CDD) and deep investigations.

With specialized AI systems, trading with confidence in 2021 and beyond doesn’t have to be complicated.

By Ami Daniel is the CEO & Co-Founder of Windward.

from Storage Containers https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/solving-sanctions-compliance-and-due-diligence-in-maritime-trade via http://www.rssmix.com/